CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Kate pulled into Eleanor Whitman's driveway for the third time in less than twenty-four hours.
But as she stepped out of the car, this visit already felt entirely different from her undercover observation the previous evening.
Now she was arriving as an FBI agent with devastating news, and she could already see Eleanor watching from behind the lace curtains with obvious concern.
The older woman had probably recognized Kate's car and was wondering why she had returned so soon.
Eleanor opened the front door before Kate could knock, her silver hair slightly disheveled and her green eyes wide with anxiety.
She wore a simple navy cardigan over a white blouse, but her usually impeccable appearance showed signs of stress.
Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped the door frame.
"Kate? What's wrong? Has something happened with the investigation?" Eleanor's voice carried a note of dread, as if she already suspected the news wouldn't be good.
"Mrs. Whitman, I need to speak with you about something very serious. May I come in?"
Eleanor stepped aside immediately, leading Kate through the familiar hallway into the same living room where the book club had met the night before. The house was back to its normal state, leaving no signs of last night’s meeting.
"Please, sit down," Kate said gently, choosing one of the armchairs from last night's gathering.
Eleanor perched on the edge of the sofa, her posture rigid with anticipation. "You're frightening me, Kate. What's happened?"
Kate took a deep breath, knowing there was no way to soften news this devastating. "Mrs. Whitman, I'm afraid Jennifer Haynes was found dead in her home early this morning."
The color drained from Eleanor's face so quickly that Kate worried the older woman might faint.
Eleanor's hands flew to her mouth, and she made a small, strangled sound that might have been Jennifer's name.
Her eyes went wide, and she began to shake her head—a very common response to news of this sort.
"Dead? But she was just here last night. She was just..." Eleanor's voice trailed off as the reality sank in. "How? My God, what happened to her?" Her voice grew thin and was watery with tears by the end of the question.
"We're still investigating the exact cause of death, but Jennifer appears to have been murdered. I can't share all the details of our investigation, but I can tell you that we believe her death is connected to Margaret's murder."
Eleanor began to cry then, not the quiet tears of grief but the harsh, shocked sobs of someone whose world was suddenly spiraling out of control.
She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she struggled to process the information.
Kate waited patiently while Eleanor composed herself, understanding that the woman needed time to absorb the magnitude of what was happening to her book club.
Similarly, Eleanor seemed to also understand that she may be able to help and needed to center herself in order to speak with Kate.
"I don't understand," Eleanor finally managed, looking up at Kate with red-rimmed eyes. "Why would someone want to hurt Margaret and Jennifer? They were both such good people. They never hurt anyone."
"Mrs. Whitman, I need to ask you some difficult questions, and I need you to think very carefully about your answers." Kate leaned forward slightly, making sure she had Eleanor's full attention. “Can you handle that?”
She nodded and said, "Yes, I think so. Just… be patient. This is just so much to… to process." She was still crying, but was doing a remarkable job of getting the words out.
"Based on the evidence we've gathered, we believe both murders are connected to the book club,” Kate said. “Someone is specifically targeting members of the Willowbrook Book Club."
Eleanor's eyes widened with horror. "You mean the rest of us could be in danger?"
"It's possible, yes. That's why I'm here to warn you and to ask for your help.
" She chose her next words carefully, wanting to make sure she conveyed the importance of the question, but without upsetting her further "Mrs. Whitman, in all your years with the book club, have there been any members, past or present, who made you uncomfortable?
Anyone who seemed unstable or maybe displayed concerning behavior? "
Eleanor shook her head immediately, almost reflexively. "No, never. Everyone who's joined our group has been lovely. We're very careful about who we invite to become members."
"What about the two members who left the group last year? You mentioned that they cited scheduling conflicts, but you suspected Margaret's intensity might have contributed to their decision to leave."
"Brenda Walsh and Susan Clark, yes. But they wouldn't hurt anyone.
They're both perfectly normal women who just didn't enjoy Margaret's approach to literary discussion.
" Eleanor's voice was firm, despite her obvious distress.
"I can't imagine either of them being capable of murder, though. In fact, Brenda was timid to the point of being rather boring, if I’m being honest."
Kate tried a different approach. "What about current members? Has anyone seemed particularly upset with Margaret or Jennifer over the past few months? Any conflicts or resentments that might have escalated?"
"You think someone in our book club is doing this?
" Eleanor's voice rose with disbelief. "Agent Wise, these are my friends…
people I've known for years. Sandra Morrison has been my closest friend for over two decades.
Carol Stevens taught my granddaughter in elementary school.
David Fletcher helped me install my new garbage disposal a few months ago. "
"Mrs. Whitman, I understand this is difficult to consider, but we have to explore every possibility. The killer clearly has intimate knowledge of book club members' reading habits and personal schedules. That level of information suggests someone with close access to the group."
Eleanor stood up abruptly and began pacing around the living room, her movements agitated.
It seemed like she was trapped as she tried to decide if she wanted to be mad about the accusation or not.
"You're talking about people I trust completely.
People who come into my home every month, who I've shared meals with, who I've confided in about personal matters. "
"I'm not accusing anyone specifically," Kate said carefully. "But I need you to really think about whether any current or former members have ever made you feel uneasy, even slightly."
Eleanor stopped pacing and turned to face Kate, her expression a mixture of fear and determination.
"I've been running this book club for twenty-two years.
In all that time, we've never had any serious problems beyond the occasional disagreement about book selections.
Our members are educated, thoughtful people who share a love of literature. They're not murderers."
Kate could see that Eleanor was too emotionally invested in protecting her group to consider that one of them might be responsible for the murders.
Her loyalty to her friends was admirable, but it was also potentially dangerous if it prevented her from recognizing warning signs.
She’d seen this sort of thing before and knew that with time, the reality of the situation would sink in for Eleanor.
But if she kept pushing right now, she’d likely shut down completely.
"Mrs. Whitman, I’m going to give you my business card," Kate said, reaching into her jacket pocket.
"If anyone contacts you with unusual requests, or if you notice any strange behavior from group members, you call me.
And if you remember anything that might be relevant to our investigation, please call me immediately. "
Eleanor accepted the card with shaking hands but didn’t even bother to look at it. "Are you going to warn the other members?"
"I'm considering that, yes. But I need to be careful about how I approach them. If one of them is our killer, I don't want to alert them that we're closing in on the book club connection."
"What should I do? Should I cancel next month's meeting? Should I tell everyone to stay away from each other?" Eleanor's voice was rising with panic. "I don't know how to protect people if I don't know who the threat is."
Kate stood up and placed a gentle hand on Eleanor's shoulder.
"For now, I want you to be extra cautious about your personal safety.
Don't open your door to anyone you're not expecting.
And that does include book club members…
for now, at least. Vary your daily routine if possible.
Consider staying with a friend or family member for a few days, or have one over with you at all times. "
"This is insane," Eleanor said, fresh tears beginning to fall. "Two days ago, we were discussing Agatha Christie novels, and now you're telling me that someone in our group might be a killer."
"I know it's overwhelming. But Mrs. Whitman, your safety and the safety of the other members is my primary concern right now.
" Kate handed Eleanor a tissue from the box that was sitting in the center of the coffee table next to a few magazines.
"Is there anyone you can call to stay with you tonight? I don't think you should be alone."
Eleanor nodded slowly. "My daughter lives in Short Pump. I could stay with her for a few days."
"That's an excellent idea. Pack a bag and leave as soon as possible."
As Kate prepared to leave, Eleanor grabbed her arm gently. "Kate, you have to promise me you'll find whoever is doing this. The book club has been the center of my social life for over twenty years. These people aren't just my friends, they're my… they’re my family."